1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a method and system to be utilized in data processing systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data processing systems are systems that manipulate, process, and store data and are notorious within the art. Personal computer systems, and their associated subsystems, constitute well known species of data processing systems.
Personal computer systems typically include a motherboard for mounting at least one microprocessor and other application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), such as memory controllers, input/output (I/O) controllers, and the like. Most motherboards include slots for additional adapter cards to provide additional function to the computer system. Typical functions that a user might add to a computer include additional microprocessors, additional memory, fax/modem capability, sound cards, graphics cards, or the like. The slots included on the motherboard generally include in-line electrical connectors having electrically conductive lands which receive exposed tabs on the adapter cards. The lands are connected to wiring layers, which in turn are connected to a bus that allows the cards to communicate with the microprocessor or other components in the system.
A personal computer system may include many different types of buses to link the various components of the system. Examples of such buses are a xe2x80x9clocal busxe2x80x9d which connects one or more microprocessors to the main memory, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus for sound cards and modems, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) for pointing devices, scanners, and digital cameras, a Fire Wire (IEEE-1394) for digital video cameras and high-speed storage drives, and a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus for graphics cards, SCSI adapters, sound cards, and other peripheral devices such as isochronous devices, network cards, and printer devices.
One particularly popular type of personal computer system is the portable computer system (e.g., laptop, notebook, sub-notebook, and palm-held computer systems). Portable computer systems allow stand-alone computing and typically have their own power-supplies, modems, and storage devices.
Portable computer systems, due to their flexibility and power, are particularly popular with professional corporate users (e.g., engineers, programmers, accountants, financial analysts, etc.). It has become very common for such professional corporate users to carry large amounts of highly valuable and secret corporate data (e.g., a new microprocessor design) within their personal computer systems. Such corporate data is typically worth a great deal of money.
Personal computer systems, due to their popularity, are increasingly the targets of theft. While the personal computer systems themselves are very valuable, as far as the professional corporate user is concerned, it is the data itself that is the most valuable item in the personal computer system. Typically, when a personal computer system is stolen, there are at least two concerns: (1) that the personal computer itself might be misused, and (2) that the data contained within the personal computer might be exposed or make its way into the wrong hands. Note that while the foregoing has focused on personal computer systems, those skilled in the art will recognize that the same concerns also apply to the theft of any computer system.
It is therefore apparent that a need exists in the art for making a stolen computer system substantially unusable and/or making data in the stolen computer substantially inaccessible.
A system and method have been invented which make a stolen computer system substantially unusable and/or make data in the stolen computer substantially inaccessible. The method and system detect a communication to at least a first data processing system from at least a second data processing system. In response to detection of the communication from the at least a second data processing system, determination is made as to whether the at least a second data processing system is stolen. If it is determined that the at least a second data processing system is stolen, the at least a second data processing system is disabled.
The foregoing is a summary and thus contains, by necessity, simplifications, generalizations and omissions of detail; consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the present invention, as defined solely by the claims, will become apparent in the non-limiting detailed description set forth below. dr
The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 depicts a pictorial representation of a data-processing system which can be utilized in accordance with the method and system of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates a representative hardware environment, which incorporates a graphical user interface, which can be utilized in accordance with the method and system of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a high-level component diagram depicting a data processing system which illustrates another environment wherein one or more embodiments of the present invention may be practiced.
FIG. 4 shows a pictographic diagram which illustrates the detection and disablement of a stolen computer system.
FIG. 5 depicts a pictographic diagram which illustrates the detection and disablement of a stolen computer system in different detail.